I think Amy Plum just invented a new genre…”Non-Apocalypse”.Having already read and loved the author’s other trilogy
about revenants; I guess I was not surprised that Amy would bring forth another
unique idea to an already crowded and popular genre of dystopian/post-apocalyptic
stories.After the End was a completely
different animal from traditional post-apocalyptic offerings and I really liked it!It was not all doom and gloom, sobering and
depressing.In fact, it was not really
post-apocalyptic at all.

I found the premise intriguing. The idea that a clan had
been told stories of war and destruction and that their little safe haven was
tucked away from the general surviving populace in the remote Alaskan
wilderness was different.They were
taught to live off the land, as well as to live in fear of the ‘brigands’ who,
if they were discovered, would lose their peaceful way of life and everything
else they held dear.

Also at the core of their tranquility was their
belief that everything (people, animals, nature and the elements) was connected
via ‘the super-organism’ and could be communicated with on some deeper,
intuitive level.This entire belief
system was referred to as the Yara.

The story begins with Juneau,
this story’s main character, returning from a hunting trip to find her little
village ravaged and her people missing.Once she got past the shock of what had happened, she determinedly set
off to find them…leaving the comfort and safety of the only place in the world
she had ever been and known as home.

From the start, we seemed to have a sense of what Juneau
was about.I think the best words to
describe her would be strong, smart and tenacious.She soaked knowledge up like a
sponge—practically memorizing the small collection of books and encyclopedias
her clan was in possession of.Juneau
was well loved and respected by her people, and was being groomed to be her
clan’s Sage; in essence, their leader.So when she found her people missing, there was no question in her mind
what she had to do.

Her trek to find her clan was not just a physical journey but
one of self-discovery and one frought with painful revelations and betrayals that
ultimately shattered her world. You
really felt for her each time a part of her old life was chipped away.

Miles was the other central figure of this story, albeit
still a bit more secondary to Juneau’s.He happened into Juneau’s
journey with the ultimate goal to win back the approval and respect of someone
important to him.He set out with a
half-baked plan and didn’t fully realize what he was getting himself into,
until he found he couldn’t get himself out of it.

As both their lives intertwined, Miles’ quest became one of
self-discovery as well.He was totally
relatable as he, at first, thought Juneau
was just another hippie whack-job.But I
loved how he matured as he slowly opened his mind to things he never thought
were possible.

I also loved how their relationship evolved from initial apathy
and contentiousness of each other to one of empathy and burgeoning trust.It was hard for both of them to do this, but
at the same time, it was natural when they stopped fighting it.

I’d like to say that they had ‘chemistry’…and I guess, in a
way, they did…but it wasn’t like many other YA stories where the steam almost
literally rises off the pages.Their
feelings for each other developed at a more reasonable pace and I liked
that.

This story was also told from both of their perspectives.I thought Amy easily distinguished the personalities
of Juneau and Miles.The transitions were seamless yet
distinct.In my opinion, each
perspective filled in the holes that we might not have been privy to had this
been told from just one point of view.

The flow and pacing was good…lots of traveling. Some
issues were resolved but others were left unanswered leaving me chomping at the
bit for more.

Summing up my thoughts…I’m finding this story is really hard
to label.Post-apocalyptic?Not really.Fantasy?Perhaps.Factual fiction?Hmmmm…

I think as the trilogy continues, it might test just how
open our own minds are in accepting things we do not understand…just as it did
and will likely continue to do for Miles.Count me in for the sequel as I’m dying for more answers!

Thank you to both Harper Collins and Edelweiss for the
opportunity to read and review this novel prior to its release.

"I have no idea what is truth and what is fiction. I'm all I've got now. I can't trust anyone."

World
War III has left the world ravaged by nuclear radiation. A lucky few
escaped to the Alaskan wilderness. They've survived for the last thirty
years by living off the land, being one with nature, and hiding from
whoever else might still be out there.

At least, this is what Juneau has been told her entire life.

When
Juneau returns from a hunting trip to discover that everyone in her
clan has vanished, she sets off to find them. Leaving the boundaries of
their land for the very first time, she learns something horrifying:
There never was a war. Cities were never destroyed. The world is intact.
Everything was a lie.

Now Juneau is adrift in a modern-day world
she never knew existed. But while she's trying to find a way to rescue
her friends and family, someone else is looking for her. Someone who
knows the extraordinary truth about the secrets of her past.

World War III has left the world ravaged by nuclear radiation. A lucky few escaped to the Alaskan wilderness.

They′e survived for the last thirty years by living off the land, being one with nature, and hiding from whoever else might still be out there.

At least, this is what Juneau has been told her entire life.

When Juneau returns from a hunting trip to discover that everyone in her clan has vanished, she sets off to find them. Leaving the boundaries of their land for the very first time, she learns something horrifying: There never was a war. Cities were never destroyed. The world is intact.

Everything was a lie.

Now Juneau is adrift in a modern-day world she never knew existed. But while she′s trying to find a way to rescue her friends and family, someone else is looking for her. Someone who knows the extraordinary truth about the secrets of her past.

About Amy Plum

Amy Plum is the author of DIE FOR ME, a YA series set in Paris. The first three books—DIE FOR ME, UNTIL I DIE, and IF I SHOULD DIE—are international bestsellers, and have been translated into eleven different languages. The fourth book is an eNovella, entitled DIE FOR HER. The first book of Amy’s new series, AFTER THE END, releases in May 2014.

Amy grew up in Birmingham, Alabama before venturing further afield to Chicago, Paris, London and New York. An art historian by training, she can be found on most days either daydreaming or writing (or both) in a Parisian café.

*Water bottle offer is for US and Canada, and is being hosted by Harper Teen. This is NOT part of the blog tour, but something we wanted to let fans know about.

The Blog Tour

Be sure to follow the entire After The End blog tour! Trust me, you don't want to miss this Truth or Dare themed tour stops! Authors like Beth Revis, Kimberly Derting, Josephine Angelini & more will be on the tour. As Amy mentioned in her recent newsletter, the truth-or-dare theme is particularly relevant to AFTER THE END, since Juneau's oracle has said she has to tell the truth or she won't find her clan.